The Southern Conference announced on April 15 its annual men’s tennis award winners, with Martinez being named Player of the Year and Rojas earning Coach of the Year. Both Martinez and Vergara were selected for All-SoCon First Team honors in singles and doubles.
These awards highlight a successful season for East Tennessee State University’s men’s tennis team. The recognition reflects both individual achievements and the team’s strong performance throughout the spring.
Martinez, a junior from Venezuela, finished the regular season with an 18-1 record in singles play. He started with ten consecutive wins, followed by an eight-match winning streak after his only loss. Martinez was also recognized as SoCon Player of the Week six times this year, becoming the seventh Buccaneer to earn Player of the Year since 1984.
Rojas guided ETSU through one of its most successful seasons, leading them to 19 straight victories after three early losses against Tennessee and Wake Forest. Under his leadership, three different players earned nine SoCon Player of the Week awards collectively. The team has been nationally ranked for seven weeks in a row, reaching as high as No. 60. This is Rojas’ third time receiving Coach of the Year honors; he is now one of three ETSU head coaches to win this accolade at least three times.
Vergara made an immediate impact after redshirting last season by posting a 14-6 singles record while primarily playing at No. 2 in the lineup. He ended regular play on an eight-win-in-ten-matches run and held a six-match winning streak entering postseason competition.
In doubles action, Martinez and Vergara compiled a strong record together at 14-2, closing out their regular season ranked No. 85 nationally.
ETSU will compete next in Thursday’s SoCon Quarterfinals against eighth-seeded The Citadel at Chattanooga’s Champions Club.
